Sever
by Jamrock
Summary: Shannon Hornsby returns to PC on leave from Iraq. Harmless to some, but to Logan Hayes her arrival has the to potential to ruin everything that he's worked hard for. Forced between right and wrong, what happens when two Marines are backed into a corner?
1. Mediate

Disclaimer: They're not mine. Don't sue. The end.

Author's Note: Leave it to me to track down an author and ask to borrow her character. I've always been a scavenger, rummaging through the depths of fan fiction to find that one---anyway---Shannon Hornsby is La Red's character from her fic Homelands. While reading it and watching the show itself, a little plot bunny started hopping in my head. While I wouldn't call this story a sequel, it does bring up some plot points from her story. It's not necessary that you read it first but I'd recommend it because A) It's fabulous and B) It's Shannon's back story. The story is listed under my favorites. So, thanks La Red for giving me the go ahead to take liberties with your character...I'll play nice!

Wow, that was long. I've never been a stellar abstract writer. Anyhow, enjoy!

* * *

Sever

Chapter One: Mediate

Dillon Quartermaine's brown eyes weeded through the hordes of travelers, trying to find her face. He half expected news cameras and reporters to have joined him, after all she was a soldier and a Quartermaine. However her homecoming was a surprise and she wanted it to remain one. It was hard for him to keep his mouth shut, after all their family had lost so much last year. Seeing her would be a dose of anesthesia, at least that's what the two of them hoped.

He spotted her instantly; the beige camouflage and crutches were hard to miss. The smile erupted on his face as he practically ran to her, engulfing her in a tight hug. He could feel her reluctance so he pulled away and looked at her, really looked at her. He grimaced. Her blue eyes were flat. It was like looking at a blackboard for emotion. She smiled, but there was no person behind it. That wasn't the ferocious part. He could see the deep-seated anger nestled against her childish grin. She was a trained killer, a two legged hearse, and Dillon couldn't decided if either he or she was at peace with that.

"What happened to you?" he blurted out.

"War."

Dillon watched her moment, then nodded and picked up her two suitcases. She laughed a little and followed him to his car. Private Lila Shannon Hornsby clasped her brother's shoulder and gave it a little shake. It was good to be home.

* * *

A blue flame came spluttering out of her lighter as Shannon lit her cigarette. She took a long drag, savoring the irresistible burn in her throat. She turned to her big brother and looked him up and down. He looked good. Happy, established, and uninformed. His dreams were doused with movie reels and fold up director's chairs. She could see the hopes of prestigious awards and film channel specials gleaming in his eyes. Students turned the pages of their textbooks and her brother smiled up at them, serving them a healthy dose of inspiration and promise. Shannon rolled down her window and spit onto the highway. She never thought she'd envy her brother again. 

"I'm sorry about Georgie," she said quietly, fingering the purple heart on the uniform she couldn't wait to get out of. "Sorry I wasn't here when you needed me."

He nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off the road. "I had Mom. Lulu was around too and Maxie."

"Mom," she said it like a foreign word that was hard to pronounce. "How is she? She still getting visits from our not so departed uncle?"

"She claims she isn't, but you and I know better."

"Hmm. I should've been here for that too... and Emily. God, o-seven was heavy hitter in the loss department. Seems like they punched the wrong clock on Emily though. Lulu told me about the fairytale she had going with Nikolas. It's a shame."

"You made your choice."

"I did."

There was no apology in her voice and Dillon was fine with that. He didn't expect one. She was her mother's daughter after all. Life had turned Shannon into a perpetual runner who never looked back, never stopped. When she felt lost and abandoned, she fled to the bed of a boy two years her senior, and when he left her to twist in the wind, she jumped head first into the flame that was their mother. Her pride and heart charred beyond recognition, she collapsed into the open arms of the Marine Corps and the inconsistency of war.

"You passed the mansion."

"Mom isn't there anymore. Monica put her out."

Shannon laughed . "What she do?"

"Nothing besides sue her sister-in-law for malpractice."

"Ouch. Well, according to Lulu's letter Monica botched Luke's bypass and almost scared him out of having another one. Bottom line, she had no business in that operating room and Mom has every right to sue her."

"Yeah, well, emotions aren't always logical. You of all people should know that."

"Emotions," Shannon scoffed. "Pesky little boogers. They'll get your head blown off if you're not careful."

"You're not on a battlefield anymore, Shannon."

"You can't mediate between the civilian and the soldier. It's like trying to dig out the Quartermaine in Mom. No matter who she's with or where she goes, she'll always remember and she'll always be. No sense in changing or fixing it."

"Change is infinite."

"So is pain."

"Does Jenny know you're back yet?"

"I talked to her the other night. Everybody's coming here to visit me at some point. She couldn't get a word in edgewise, you know how Sydney is. The boys are huge. Susan sends me pictures. I kept them with me out there. Did you go to Sly's wedding?"

"Yeah. Lulu and Lucky tagged along. Luke isn't the wedding type."

"Except when it makes grand larceny easier."

"They're more than that now. You should've seen her during the whole black and white ball fiasco and after. She was glued to his side. She loves him and he loves her. They have…had…something amazing."

"Past tense?"

"He snuck out of the hospital with Skye of all people. Mom was frantic."

"I can imagine. First he leaves her in the nut farm with the possibility of being carried off to the slammer for kidnapping and then he sneaks away leaving her with the fear of being a widow. I'm sure she was beyond frantic."

"She dropped him like a bad habit, but you know Luke, he's not letting her get away."

"He shouldn't. He's good for her."

Dillon nodded, pulling the car into the General Hospital parking lot.

"Is Tracy in the hospital?"

"More like at home. Welcome to La Casa de Tracy Quartermaine."

"She sleeps on the sofa in the boardroom, huh?"

"With all her dignity rolled up in my old sleeping bag."

"I've got money, you know, some that Dad left me. Uncle Sam was generous too. I can get her a room at the Metro Court."

"I already tried. Generous offers, too much pride, and even more Scotch don't mix."

"I'm her little girl," Shannon opened the passengers seat and tumbled out of the car. "It might go over a little better."

"The same little girl who snuck off into the night without so much as a goodbye and signed herself up to die. She'll probably spit in your face."

"Tracy Quartermaine doesn't spit."

"Has anybody ever told you how truly annoying you are?"

"But you love me anyway," she winked at him and continued towards the entrance.

"Yes." he put his hand on her head, which was closer to his chest than it was before. Interesting place to have a growth spurt. Their mother matured late too. "In fact, I love you so much that you get to do damage control and appeal to her on our stepfather's behalf."

"What? Luke came to you with his hat in his hand."

"Yeah, well, symbiosis at its best."

"Ass."

* * *

"Doesn't she have back problems?" Shannon asked as she followed her brother into the dark hospital boardroom. "Gives new meaning to the term 'humble abode'."

Tracy Quartermaine Spencer was sprawled out on the leather sofa, her face borrowed in the cushions and her finger tips brushing against the room's blue carpet. Peacefully her chest rose and peacefully it fell. Despite the squalid conditions, Tracy seemed to enjoy the benefits of deep sleep. Shannon closed her eyes and examined the darkness, practically begging herself to feel comfortable. She didn't and when Dillon gave her rib a slight nudge, she was grateful despite the pain.

"Watch the ribs."

"Sorry," he said sincerely.

"Aren't we all?"

"Not you."

"Poetic. Are we here to observe or are you planning on waking her up?"

Suddenly, Dillon released a slow, breathy laugh. Shannon watched him, analyzing, her mind and body ready to react.

"What?"

"It's ironic. When Mom got you back and you moved into the mansion, remember your room used to be across from mine? I got up and I noticed your door was open. You never left your door open. I got curious and looked in. You were out like a light. Mom was standing over you, just watching. I think she pushed a strand of your hair out of your face and when she did, you stirred. She got spooked like the intruder you told her was, and moved to escape. I wasn't quick enough and she saw me. Neither of us said anything. She pushed past me and I went downstairs to get a glass of water. She was so happy to have you back. You took something from her when you left, just like Luke takes, just like Ned and I take. We don't care because we think she doesn't, but deep down we can't forgive ourselves and neither can she."

Shannon made herself smile. Slowly she bent down and brushed the bangs away from her mother's face. She jumped a bit when the hand squeezed her wrist. Her blue eyes were groggy and uncomprehending, but as reality billowed toward her, Tracy Quartermaine shot off the couch like a rocket.

Dillon wrapped his arm around his little sister and gave his usual short wave. "Hey Mom."

The uniformed girl, not much shorter than her brother and nothing like the one her mother remembered, removed her camouflaged hat and grinned . "Nice hair."

* * *

Don't you just _love_ building other people's self esteem? Sure you do, I mean...hey...you're all good people. Prove it! Leave a review. Help me cultivate a smile! And before you ask...no, I have no shame.

Seriously, I have the second chapter already written so I'll either post it tomorrow or the next day. Next up: Tracy and her girl child play catchup. Luke and his stepdaughter have a moment. And last but certainly not least, Private Hornsby crosses paths with Logan Hayes!


	2. Pep Talk

Pep Talk

Tracy's mouth opened and closed; as her words formed on her lips they were smothered by the blanket of darkness. She reached for the light switch and when she flicked it, she almost regretted it. The uniform made Tracy's skin prickle. The purple heart and the crutches under her little girl's arm made Tracy's nostrils flare. Shannon was encased in authority, tall and stoic. The Hornsby name was stitched over her heart, making another less-pointed suggestion. Nonetheless Tracy wrapped her arms around her daughter's neck, grateful that she was alive. Shannon squeezed back and Dillon, ever the sensitive one, wrapped his arms around the both of them, tears stinging at his eyes.

"You've grown," Tracy reached in and adjusted Shannon's collar.

"Yeah, well, kids tend to do that. I like the new hairdo. You look fierce. I bet dear old Stepdad's kicking the crap out of himself."

Tracy stiffened at the mention of Luke. "So, how are you ? What happened? How long are you here?"

"Fair to middling. I'm here for two months and then who knows, probably back to the desert. As for the sticks, well, I'm not as fast as I thought I was. We got ambushed a few miles outside of Baghdad. We took some heavy fire. I got hit in the leg and I fell, my ribs got crushed on impact. I'll make a clean recovery they tell me, maybe I'll limp a little. I got lucky. I still have my leg."

Tracy never imagined she'd be grateful that Ned rebelled in leather pants and Dillon behind a camera. She wasn't too surprised. Tracy was extreme in her day. What did she expect from her daughter?

"When did it happen? Why wasn't I notified?"

"Around the time Luke had his heart attack. You had so much on your plate. I didn't want you to have to worry about anything else."

"Is that why your letters stopped in November?"

"No, you never wrote me back so I gave up. I felt ten all over again."

"I was trapped in a mansion with a mad man and my husband was turning back flips on death's doorstep. Forgive me if I didn't have time to pick up a pen."

Shannon didn't want a fight so she settled for a nod. "I understand. Dillon and Lulu kept me up to speed anyway. So, this is where you bunk down?"

"It's temporary."

"Well, consider yourself checked out because you and I are going to the Metro Court."

"I'm fine. As soon as I make a few ends meet I'll handle everything."

"I'm not letting you sleep on a couch, Mom."

"Well, fortunately for us both, I'm not in your care. You want to play heroine? Go back to being cannon fodder in the sand."

"Uh…Mom…try going fifteen minutes without ostracizing one of your children."

"It's okay Dillon," Shannon smacked her hat back on her head and flashed her teeth theatrically. She turned on the ball of her foot, robotically planting each foot before the other as she marched for the door. Shaking her head, she paused and turned around sharply, a harsh laugh bubbled from her throat. "Oh, by the way, Dillon asked me to do some PR for Luke. Go back to your husband, he's the only person desperate and stupid enough to put up with your laundry list of insecurities."

"Where are you going?" Dillon asked from behind their mother.

"Who knows. Who cares."

"It's freezing out there."

"I'll live."

Tracy knew immediately that her daughter was gone and the slamming of the door had nothing to do with that knowledge. There was a sudden void in the room and the dead eyed, angry Marine could not fill it.

"She's in a lot of pain," Dillon was always making excuses for his mother and sister. It seemed natural. "Who knows what she's seen---"

"Or what she's done," Tracy finished for him. Sighing, she allowed her body to fall onto the couch. "I should've tracked her down."

"Would've been pointless. She was eighteen, pissed off, and stupid. Nothing you said would've reached her. Besides, you didn't know. None of us did until it was too late."

"Couldn't she have been a dancer? I would've still been livid and she would've been able to hammer home her autonomy. What does she do instead? She dawns a uniform, picks up a gun, and kills for and living. She's just as bad as Jason."

"She was defending her country and protecting her pride. You can't honestly say you don't appreciate that."

"What I do appreciate is I can see that godforsaken war in her face. There's no light, nothing to look forward to, all I see is a shell. It hurts to look at her, so I pushed her away. You want to lecture me, knock yourself out, but you need to save your motivational speeches for your sister. She needs you."

"And what about you? Are you going to watch from the sidelines while your kid haunts herself to death? I get it, you're mad because she ran off and went where she didn't belong. That's fair, it's to be expected, but she's terrified and she needs her mother. Trying being one and help her out."

"I told you to save the pep talk."

Dillon shook his head. "Can I at least buy you dinner?"

Without a word, she folded up the sleeping bag and led her son out of the boardroom. At least she wasn't alone.

* * *

Lucas Lorenzo Spencer was treading water. The tide licked his boots without purpose. It was simply filling a void, touching, but pulling away just as quickly as it had come. He wondered if Tracy thought of him that way. Their marriage was a joke, then a run for the money, and then it blossomed into something real. She trusted it and she trusted him and his foiled attempts to remain unconstrained, unconventional, left him sailing on the lonely waters he'd navigated many a time.

He watched the boats in the harbor rock as he kept on. It was pitch black. There was no moon, no stars, just low-lying, rain-bloated clouds, as black as the sky. God it was lonely out there. Part of him was grateful for the isolation, but the other part, the part that was hers, was shaking with need. A need he always put a side, the one he always disrespected. Yeah, he wanted to live. Living wasn't dwindling your thumbs like a passive patient, gulping down protein shakes and sprouted grains. Life was lived his way and though he seldom admitted it, his was looking real empty.

He saw the soldier through the murky fog and he narrowed his eyes to get a better look. He could see the youth and when the crutches simmered into view, he pitted the poor sap. Too young to have a drink, old enough to get their limbs ripped off. Luke remembered the boys fresh from Vietnam. Clean, but dirty. Shaken and calm, frightened by the fact that they were too afraid to be cowards. Some of them were in awe of their baggage, others ate their guns in dim locker rooms and bus stations, some pretended like it never happened. He wondered where this kid would go, what he or she would run from, and how far they would get? The eyes, blue as the water by the bay, flickered with recognition. The soldier, a stone faced Marine, was staring at him with his wife's eyes.

Luke stepped out, touched the brim of his hat in a mock salute and grinned, reaching for her shoulder. "Well if it isn't the runaway recruit! When'd you get back on American soil?"

"Two nights ago. I stayed in the Big Apple awhile before I came here to surprise everybody. I would say it's good to be home, but apparently my mother is persona non grata in the Quartermaine asylum, so I'm just a homeless vet looking for a box."

"I'm sure you could fight your way back into the family fold. They've got your service picture plastered up with the rest of the Quartermaine posterity."

"I spit in my mother's face once and I'm not doing it again. Monica screwed up and if losing her reputation and a few shekels deposits her back into reality, then hey, it's the least she deserves."

"Meanwhile Tracy sleeps on a couch and glides through life like a zombie."

"Don't flatter yourself, Luke. She may be losing sleep over you, but that'll change. She'll solidify back into her icy self and you can go on sitting vigil at Laura's rocking chair and your own death bed. Lulu told me Mom was there for you every step of the way, taking an active charge, like a real wife. And what, you gotta make a few changes and be a little vulnerable so you do a jig on her heart and hit the door? You're a coward and you'll be a lucky one if she takes you back."

"Look, Gunner Glory Roader, I don't need the lecture. You left her too. So what, Mommy buys off your boyfriend and you scamper off to play GI Jane? Her methods were off, I'll give you that, but limping off like a kicked puppy doesn't exactly qualify you for the medal of honor. Ned and Dillon stuck it out. They throw their necks out for her here and there, but you ran away at the first sight of a storm. Some soldier you are."

"Why are you the one sniffing and sobbing while the rest of us are moving on?"

"Moving on?" Luke scoffed. "You're afraid of something. It festers in your dreams like a cancer, doesn't it? It waits for you to love, laugh, get comfortable and--boom!--it grabs you by the neck and just squeezes 'til you're ready to slip over the edge, then it eases up and regulates you until the day you check out of this roach motel. We ain't so different you and me. You ain't the only one humping a load of demons everywhere you go."

He was in her personal space. Not obscenely close, but just enough to make her mother a widow. She'd break his neck before she admitted he was right. Sure, Luke was a force to be reckoned with, but he hadn't seen it. He hadn't smelt those smells, bled into the Earth, seen the sun set on armless children and their headless mothers. The soldiers buried without jawbones, the maggots, the running, and the smoke. The tears, the laughter, the filthy ,the young dreams of soldiers seeping out of the flames. No, Luke didn't understand, and Shannon didn't want him to.

"It was good seeing you Luke. For what it's worth, you're good for her. She knows that and she'll come around."

Luke nodded, accepting the truce. He smiled a bit. "Somebody'll give you a flashlight, kid.

"Why? I hate what I see."

And with that, the soldier limped into the fog.

* * *

Kelly's was the same. Mike gave her a hero's welcome. A free steak with a side of chili cheese fries and a root beer. A sadness overwhelmed her when Georgie didn't bring it out. She was such a nice girl. Brown eyed, practical, and loving. The way she died…well, home had a few things in common with the desert after all. 

Lulu had joined her. The two of them remained close. Shannon wrote her monthly, weekly when she was lonely. She couldn't say much, but talking to Lulu was much easier than the rest of her family. Jenny was against the war and while her letters weren't marinated in Anti-Bush rhetoric, Shannon didn't feel like proving her point. Sidney was too young and too fragile and Sly didn't want to know. Dillon listened, Ned too, but Lulu reminded her that she was a teenage girl once. It felt nice to be a kid for awhile.

"So you and Tracy got into it?"

"I wouldn't say that. More like she gave me her own special little welcome. She's hurt and mad as hell. I'd be a liar if I said I wouldn't act the same. I ran into your dad on the docks. We had a moment."

Lulu arched her brow as she wiped down the countertop. "I'm sure it was...special."

"Yeah, we bickered about who hurt Mom the most. We're tied by the way. I'm the Dastard Daughter and he's the Spineless Spouse."

"So while you were handing out gold medals, did either one of you think about making it up to Tracy?"

"When did you start waving Mom's banner?"

"Tracy and I don't always see eye to eye, but she loves my dad. That's a job in and off itself. She doesn't need me undermining her constantly. I only work part-time now. Seriously, what are you going to do?"

"I'm here aren't I? Flowers and a card won't fix it. I came back to Port Charles to be with my family. I need her and she needs me."

Lulu nodded, excepting her answer. Finally she asked, "What happened to you out there?"

"Ambush. A shitty one. We lost two good men, both were supposed to go home later that month. I got lucky. "

"You didn't belong there."

"None of us do. Anyway, have you made up your mind? The GI or the gangster?"

"You can't narrow them down like that."

"You can't answer my question."

"Never said I could. I'm not sure I want to. I mean Logan's so..." Lulu paused and stuffed her hands in the pockets of her apron. "Logan's so coming over here."

"Don't sound so excited."

Shannon had a soldier's foresight, so it was only natural that she started planning a clear escape route when she heard Logan's voice. She could smell the peppermint as Lulu's suitor eased his way over the counter. She could see him clear as day, watching her like a hawk as she stood over Specialist Kelly Oliver's body, radioing in one US KIA.

_"This is Private Shannon Hornsby requesting a Med Evac chopper at 47N 51W."_

_"Roger that, stand by."_

_"There's no blood sir, no point of exit or entry. Oliver was not shot," Shannon looked up at him. They were friends and she knew him. He looked detached, lost, a little sick even. "Sir? I said there's no gunshot wound."_

_"I found her like that. I found her just like you found me," he was begging her, convincing her, pleading..._

_"You...?"_

_He was shaking her like a disobedient child, her head jerking back and forth. For minute she thought he was going to kill her too. _

_"You owe me! You owe me!"_

"You owe me some quality time," Logan Hayes leaned on the counter, his hands folded in a fist on its surface. "I thought we'd catch a movie, grab a bite. Look, I'm not pressuring you, I just thought..."

"My stepsister's back in town and I haven't seen her in awhile," Lulu waved her hand in Shannon's direction much to her dismay. "Shannon, this is Logan Hayes. Logan, Shannon Hornsby."

He had the decency to look surprised. "You didn't tell me Mrs. Spencer had a daughter."

"She's a sore subject with the family--"

"It's nice to see you again, Corporal."

"Same to you Private," Logan half mumbled, half stumbled out. He ripped his gaze from hers and backed towards the door. "Scott needs me at the station. I'll call you after I get off."

"I didn't know he was a Corporal," Lulu frowned. "I also didn't know the two of you were war buddies."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"How far would you go?"

"Far enough away from Hayes and you should do the same," with that, Shannon smacked a ten on the counter and moved to leave. "I'll see you around."

"Wait...where are you staying?"

Shannon shrugged. "I can afford a little something at the Metro Court. If I had any sense, I'd get a room here."

"Stay with Lucky and I. We've got space, long as you don't mind kids. Cam and Jake come by on weekends."

"Temporarily," Shannon agreed. "At least until I can get Mom to share a hotel room with me or until she can blackmail Monica into letting her move back into the mansion."

"Wishful thinking. You know they got into a fight at the hospital?"

"Girls Gone Wild: Senior Addition. Too bad I missed it. Hey, I'll meet you at Lucky's later. I gotta find Dillon and get my crap out of his car."

"Yeah, well, be careful. Things are a little shaky around this town."

"Roger that."

* * *

The cold air felt like an icy slap to the face. It had stopped snowing--for the time being. Shannon kicked a pile of damp leafs, their moisture giving her boots a soft shine. She walked through the park, eyes trained on the gravel path, her head unsure where to land. She wished she could get rid of the anger, the images, and the distrust. Frankly, they were obsessions and they were ruining her life.

But she didn't know how to let go.

"We need to talk."

The gun was mashed against his temple before she could think of anything else. Logan seemed to take the threat lightly, they knew she wouldn't shoot him, at least they hoped she wouldn't.

"You can put the gun away. I promise I'll behave."

"This guarantees it."

"For crying out loud, would you calm down?! I didn't come here to start any trouble. It's about Lulu."

Shannon eased the gun away, but kept it trained on him. "Go ahead."

"I care about her, a lot. She's given me so much this last year and I don't wanna lose that. Things are bumpy right now, but we're trying. I don't want you---"

"Telling my stepsister what kind of a bastard you really are?"

"It's in the past! Let it go!"

"Let it go?! Are you kidding?"

"You owe me! Oh what, you think I forgot? I bailed you out and when I need your help, you jump on your high horse and leave me hanging?"

"Oh please!" If she wasn't so busy trying to keep her weapon steady, she would have laughed in his face. "We're way past even, don't you think?"

"Well, I'll tell you what," Logan stepped closer, the loaded gun handled by a Marine with trust issues didn't register as dangerous to him. "You'd better pull that trigger because if you come between Lulu and I, you'll wish you had. Besides, there's record of you radioing in Oliver's death. All I gotta do is tell them you helped me cover it up and you and I go down together."

"You wouldn't..."

"I would. I lose Lulu, I lose everything. You try and take away the one good thing in my life and yours just might end."

"I wouldn't threaten me if I were you. One word to Lulu and..."

Logan snapped. With his left hand he snatched the gun from Shannon's and with his right, he dealt her a sharp blow to the stomach. She staggered, but did not fall. Shaking his head, Logan dropped the gun at her feet and took off into the night.

"There's nothing like a Marine with everything and nothing to lose," Shannon mumbled, scooping her pistol and her pride off the damp ground. "So much for escaping."


End file.
